How sad is this? 1 out of 4 homeless are veterans?

Question

Veterans make up one in four homeless people in the United States, though they are only 11 percent of the general adult population, according to a report to be released Thursday.

And homelessness is not just a problem among middle-age and elderly veterans. Younger veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan are trickling into shelters and soup kitchens seeking services, treatment or help with finding a job.

The rest of the story:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071108/ap_on_re_us/homeless_veterans

Comments please?

Answer 1

what is worst of it all our young disabled vets who lost a limb or more are being denied assistance by our government. The young gi's lived up to their part of the contract they signed: 'to protect and defend the constitution of the united states against all enemies foriegn and/or domestic" but we as a society/government would rather give welfare to a lazy family with 4 kids who are unwilling to work, rather then the heroes who defended their right to laziness. As a veteran of the Army i seek out other veterans we that live comfortable cannot forget our brothers and sisters in arms who are uncomfortable. let us remember a basic soldiering creed leav no man or woman behind.... i know it still exists too "shame on any employer in the united states who fails to remploy a soldier who was called to duty" get off of your pompous me only atitudes and pay them more then you pay yourself....reservists and national guardsmen come home to their family and job and some employers fire these soldiers. shame shame shame.

Answer 2

It is sad and I have worked with some of the homeless vets through various organizations. Also sad to hear the conservatives being blasted about it since this has been a long term problem since Vietnam; read the article and the number and percent of vets homeless is decreasing; still too many but it is dropping. Many of these vets move around a lot and do not have a permanent address to get VA benefits through and some do not want any hand outs from the government. BTW The conservatives are not working hard to get NYC land owners aid as farmers, the last check i did shows that area is represented by two very liberal Democrats; both parties and both ends of the political spectrum have made many of these programs which were designed for a good reason then turned into vote buyers and keepers by both parties.

Answer 3

I don't understand, I'm an Iraq veteran, I came home in March of this year. I got out of the Marine Corps in May. Now I work full-time as a purchasing manager and go to school full-time at night. I support all veterans and everyone who is still carrying on the fight, but I have a hard time feeling sorry for people in that position. I am successful and I didn't have any advantages that they didn't. I certainly don't have rich parents or anything like that. Many probably wanted to rely completely on being veterans and it just doesn't work that way. No one will give you a job and education just for that.,

Answer 4

As a Brit I feel it unfair to make a comment on this sad story. I can say that I do not think that we have a problem as bad as that as all veterans are helped by our welfare state and to get help with cash benefits and housing and I am surprised that the richest nation on earth does not have something similar. It would be a good election pledge if the party who make it stick to it.

Answer 5

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Answer 6

You better believe it... I'm living proof. And I'll tell you why...

It's not necessarily that the government doesn't care, because believe me there are so many programs in place to help veterans get jobs even before they get out. We attend workshops and seminars and build our resumes while we are still in. The only thing they can't do for us is find us and get us a job. That's on us, but we can still turn to these job assistance centers for help in finding us a job. And Lord knows the department of labor is all about helping veterans, they even have dedicated specialist that deal specifically with veterans.

Where the problem lies is the employers. We get treated like the plague. It seems as though it would be easier to get hired if I was an ex-convict instead of being a veteran. I served my country honorably and gained more experience and leadership in 6 years than most do in 12 or 15 years. And yet nobody will hire me. Why? I thought it would be so easy to get a job once I had this military experience, but I was dead wrong.

I had a great career in the Army, and got out as a staff sergeant, a noncommissioned officer. I held managerial type positions while i was in the Army and took care of Soldiers in the most fast-paced and stressful environment you could be in. But no employer wants to recognize that. A kid can go to college mess around, smoke and drink, and do nothing but party for 4 years with very little responsibility and get a degree and a higher paying job than some kid that serves his country, works his butt off day-in day-out, gains more knowledge and experience than most grown adults, and take full accountability and responsibility for his actions and a lot of times people underneath him/her for four years and get looked at like he/she isn't worthy to work in their office or their store or factory or whatever.

What needs to happen is somebody needs to open the employers' eyes to what these veterans have sacrificed, how much they have given and how much they have to offer to this society in a civilian capacity. Veterans are so underappreciated that the people of this country should be ashamed at how they are treated. They need to start appreciating them by offering them jobs, going to military installations to advertise and recruit there as much as they do at the colleges. We're good enough to fight and give our lives to protect their freedoms and rights, but we're not good enough to work for them? Employer's open your eyes.

Answer 7

As a veteran I have a hard time believing this. There are lots of programs in place to help veterans. It makes me angry when I see a person with a "I am a vet" sign begging.
Then I think maybe these guys had been in the airforce.

I am kidding about the airforce crack my brother is in the airforce so I joke.

Answer 8

That just makes my heart hurt.there is no reason for anybody to be homeless in our country, let alone some one who has put their life on the line for it. That truly makes me sick to my stomach.My father is a Vietnam Veteran he did two tours in a war that was really none of our business all in the name of Freedom. and I would never allow him to be homeless. There should be some kind of program for anyone who is homeless especially Our Veterans.

Answer 9

I'm so glad this is in your papers. I watched a programme about the veterans and was shocked they're being treated so badly.

These people were trained, did the job they were trained to do, saw some of the most terrible things, come home, then leave the army with nothing. They are given no help what-so-ever.

How can you train a man to kill, then not help him get over all the brainwashing you did to him?? How can you not help them get over the terrible things they've seen?? (not you personally of course....lol).

I think it's a disgrace the way these men and women are treated, and your president should hang his head in shame.

That goes for the British Prime Minister too, because I wouldn't be surprised if some of our men and women are mistreated and forgotten too. Not enough is done !!!!

Answer 10

It is so sad that this is true. Our government and the VA does not have the money or resources to take care of these veterans the way they deserve to be treated. My fiance is a Marinne, and after being medically discharged his life hasnt been the same. The VA infuriates me the way they have handles his case and his medical problems, and my heart goes out to all the other veterans with problems like this.